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Peter Hornery (1804-1864)
}} Peter's father was a convict transported to New South Wales as "Peter Omery alias Brown". In Australia his father was known as Peter Bradcock or Peter Onery/Honery or variations thereof. Variations included Oonery, Honary, Honnary, Honory, Honery, Honnerey, Honnery, Ornery, Orney, Hornary, Hornery, and more. The spellings used by descendants today are Honnery and Hornery. With the various spellings of the name Honery, the spelling that has been used in this Wiki for Peter and his individual children is the spelling used in their death registrations, or in the case of his daughter Margaret in her marriage registration. Peter's eldest child Bernard adopted the surname of Ford. Peter was baptised at the age of 10 months on 2 June 1805 at Parramatta as Peter Bradcock, the son of Peter Bradcock and Martha Groves. Peter at various times in his life used the surnames of Bradcock, or Ho®nery or variations thereof. He also used Grover or Groves, the surname of his mother Martha Grover nee Crop. Peter was granted 60 acres in the County of Cook, Parish of Currency by Sir Ralph Darling on 16 June 1831 with possession authorised on the 6 September 1831. According to the Government Gazette of 1839, it was "at the Kurrajong near the Cumleroy Road." The description of this grant is: Commencing at the South East corner of James Davidsons grant bounded on the North by a line bearing 20 chains east, on the East by a line south 31 chains, on the South by a line west 20 chains and on the West by a line north 31 chains. In 1832, after first requesting permission, Peter married Catherine Carroll. Catherine was born in Wexford, Ireland, and died at Kurrajong on 21 January 1899, 34 years after the death of Peter. She had been sentenced to 7 years transportation on 13 March 1827 in Wexford Ireland for robbing a person. Her occupation was given as house girl. She arrived in new South Wales aboard the "Elizabeth" in 1828. Also a convict on the same ship was her older single sister Margaret. In 1830 another sister, Hester, was to arrive as a convict aboard the "Forth". Burnt to death "The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser", 26 May 1864 :A paralytic old man burnt to death. :A case of painful interest is reported in the Windsor correspondence of the Herald. An old man called Peter Hornery, a settler at the Kurrajong, a native of the colony, 66 years old, had been paralytic for the last 28 years having no use of his legs. He, his wife and daughter were sitting together on Friday evening May 13th when a sawyer Benjamin Mortimer came in bringing some rum in a bottle. All the parties except the daughter drank some of the rum. Mrs Hornery and her daughter afterwards went to a neighbours to get some milk, and Mortimer, who was tipsy, went after them some way, but returned. When they left the house Hornery was sitting leaning against the wall of the fireplace, and Mortimer when leaving put the rum bottle between Hornery's knees telling him to help himself. Mortimer returned to the house before Mrs Hornery had reached her neighbours, and found poor Hornery lying in the fireplace between the fire and the chimney wall - his clothes on fire. Mortimer immediately lifted him out and began to take off his burning clothes. On first seeing what had occurred Mortimer had run out to the door, and shouted to Mrs Hornery just then entering the neighbour's door "Murder - Peter is burning to death - come home." She heard him, but thinking it merely a drunken trick of Mortimers to hurry them home she took no notice. When she did come home she found her husband on the floor severely burnt, and Mortimer leaning by him putting out his burning clothes. Mrs Hornery, and Mrs Mitchell the neighbour, did all they could to aid the poor man, but he was so seriously burnt that he died 3 days later. He was sensible but could not tell how the accident happened. A doctor was sent for but did not attend. The jury returned a verdict of death by accident but blamed Mrs Hornery and Mortimer for their conduct. "The Sydney Morning Herald", Monday 23 May 1864 :WINDSOR. OUR CORRSPONDENT :DEATH FROM BURNING. - An inquest was held on Wednesday last, at Kurrajong, before Mr. White, coroner, and a jury, on the body of a man named Peter Hornery. :Catherine Hornery deposed: The deceased Peter Hornery is my husband; he is sixty-six years old, and a native of the colony; he has been paralytic for twenty-eight years, having no use of his legs; on Friday evening last, Benjamin Mortimer, a sawyer, entered the house; I was sitting at one side of the fire-place sewing, and my husband was sitting on the floor of firereplace at the opposite side, resting his body against the slabs of the chimney; my daughter was also sitting with us; Mortimer handed my husband some tobacco, and asked him if he would have a nobbler; took out of his pocket a bottle of rum, which he gave to me, and told me to help my husband and myself; I gave my husband about a glass; Mortimer also took some; after some conversation, Mortimer told me to pass another round, and said if I had no objection he would stop all night as it was getting late; I refused, however, to let him stop; he then called for some more rum; it was the custom of my daughter and myself to go to a neighbour's every evening for milk for my daughter's baby; before we left the house, Mortimer placed the bottle between my husband's knees, and told him he could help himself; as we left the house, Mortimer followed us a short distance calling my daughter back: I went on, and after reaching a neighbour's house saw Mortimer running towards me and calling out, " Murder - Peter is burned to death - come home"; I thought he was drunk, and did not take any heed at the time; but on my return home found my husband lying on the floor severely burnt, and Mortimer kneeling by his side, putting out his burning clothes; he was burnt all one side, from the head to the knee ; he was quite sensible, but could not tell me how the accident happened; Mrs. Mitchell was sent for, who came and dressed the injuries with linseed oil; Mrs. Mitchell attended my husband till his death, which took place about one o'clock yesterday. By a juryman: I think my husband was the worse of liquor; I was quite sober; Mortimer was not a frequent visitor, nor did he ever bring liquor on any previous occasion; my husband did not charge Mortimer with any ill usage. :Benjamin Mortimer deposed: I am a sawyer, and live on the Comleroy road; am acquainted with the family of the deceased, and was at their house on Friday evening last; I had a bottle of rum with me; the deceased was sitting in a corner of the fireplace; I gave him some tobacco, and handed the bottle of rum to Mrs. Hornery; we all had some rum, with the exception of the daughter; Mrs. Hornery and her daughter left the house to go for some milk; I followed them for a short distance and then returned; when I entered the house Hornery was lying on his side between the fire and the side of the chimney; immediately grasped him with both my arms, lifted him out, and began to take off his burning clothe ; the injuries extended all down his left side; I left the house about midnight. By the Coroner: I cannot account for his leg being broken; did not know such was the case till last night. :Elizabeth Mitchell deposed: I was sent for Friday last to visit the deceased; when I arrived at the houee he was lying on the floor; I dressed the injured parts with linseed oil; remained till Saturday night; went home, made some ointment, returned on the Sunday, and remained till the next night; on Tuesday morning, Margaret Hornery, the daughter of deceased, informed me that her father was dying; I visited him again, and remained till he died; a doctor was sent for, but did not attend. By a jury, man: I was the person who discovered the fracture of the thigh; I have had some experience as a nurse. :Margaret Hornery corroborated the testimony of her mother (the first witness). :The jury returned a verdict to the following effect: "That death was caused from burning and that the conduct of Mrs. Hornery and Mortimer was highly culpable." The baby in the above news report was Elvina Hornery (1863-1955), the daughter of Margaret Honery and William Pitt Wilshire (1807-1889), and the granddaughter of Peter Hornery. Elvina was later to marry a grandson, John James McCabe (1851-1939), of the neighbour Elizabeth Mitchell nee Coverly.